Sir Robert Ker Porter, in his visit to this sacred spot, collected a few interesting circumstances at the fountain-head, relating to Shakspeare's northern hero, from the very source whence our poet must have drawn the incidents of his tragedy, viz. the "Annals of Denmark," written by Saxo Grammaticus in the twelfth century. The work is in Latin, and in our next number we intend inserting a short abstract of Hamlet's story. It will be curious to compare the dialogues of the original with their counterpart in the play. * * * * * ON THE APPEARANCE OF AN AURORA BOREALIS, ON THE NIGHT OF THE 25TH OF SEPTEMBER. BY A LADY IN HER THIRTEENTH YEAR. (_For the Mirror_.) What may this mean? this ruddy blaze of light, Breaking effulgent through the stilly night; Darting its blood-red form along the sky, Glowing with heaven's glorious majesty. How with its phalaxy of rays unfurl'd, It comes: its radiance circling all our mother world. The pharos of the night; where gods might dance. Heedless of mortals dull, unmeaning trance; Where spirits in their mysteries might find, A sail to float upon the yielding wind; But see, it flies, its shadow; form outspread, In fainting radiance o'er earth's startled bed, Yet rests, like the death gleam of beauty's eye, Or last rich tint of an autumnal sky. And now in fleecy clouds the heav'ns appear. Again it darts, dreamer, there's naught to fear; Again, like a proud spirit of the sky, Though conquer'd, breaking forth in majesty. Britain, for thee this fearful warning sent, Oh! mock not foolishly its dire portent; For now that vice on all her malice wreaks, Charms on the stage, and in the assembly speaks; Now that with cheating fires she shameless dares, Fortunate where virtue once defied her snares; Again I say, for thee this warning sent, Oh! mark it well, mock not its dire portent. F.J.H. * * * * * THE SELECTOR, AND LITERARY NOTICES OF _NEW WORKS_. * * * * * CHRONICLES OF THE CANONGATE. (_By the author of Waverley_.) [We have the pleasure of submitting to our readers, (almost entire,) one of the stories of the forthcoming _Chronicles of the Canongate_, it being the second narrative, and the last in the first volume, and as well as the others, founded on true incidents. The _Chronicles_ are domestic tales; but the _Two Drovers_ should not be taken as a specimen of the work. Slender as are its incidents, it proves that "Richard (or Walter) is himself again," for in no vein of writing is the author of Waverley more felicitous than in delineating scenes of actual life, splendid as are his narratives of the fairy scenes and halls of romance: and in the prevailing taste for this description of writing, we think the Chronicles of the Canongate bid fair to enjoy popularity equal to any of Sir Walter's previous productions.] _The Two Drovers_.